How does a caterpillar become a butterfly?

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Have you ever looked at a squirmy caterpillar and wondered how it ever managed to grow into a graceful, winged butterfly?? Believe it or not, but caterpillars are baby butterflies!

Butterflies and moths are known for their amazing life cycles in which they go through four very different and distinct stages. The first of these stages is the egg. Butterflies and moths are sure to lay their eggs on the type of leaves the young will eat when they hatch into hungry caterpillars, which is the second of a butterfly’s life stages.

Caterpillars are growing a lot, so they eat, eat, eat! They also shed their skin many times to accommodate their fast growth. When they’ve reached full size, a caterpillar forms into its third life stage, the chrysalis or pupa. Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar is busy as ever, working on changing form for the final time: When it emerges from the chrysalis, it has become a beautiful winged butterfly or moth! The adult butterfly or moth then finds a mate so they can lay eggs. The whole cycle starts again!

Make your own butterfly!

Here's an easy art project you can do to make your very own butterfly!

Get a piece of paper, and fold in it half. Cut or trace around the edges to make the shape of half of a butterfly, so that when you open it up you have a full butterfly.

Lay the paper down on a table, and put paint on just one of the two wings. Then, fold the paper over again and press the painted side against the non-painted side!

What do you see when you unfold your butterfly?? -- The same pattern of pretty colors on both sides! Hang up your artwork to dry, and make sure you sign your name to your masterpiece!